New system for road recategorisation unveiled in NSW

THE NSW Government is rewriting the framework that determines road management in NSW, announcing a new road recategorisation system this week.

The move comes in an attempt to provide local councils with certainty over who will manage and maintain different roads, allowing for more targeted investment where it is most needed.

Road recategorisation is the process used to decide whether a road should be managed as a State, Regional or Local road.

This system determines who maintains it, who funds it and how it fits into the broader transport network.

The new framework includes statewide criteria for recategorisation; an ‘always-open’ application pathway; a new online self-assessment data tool for councils; and prioritisation for roads that unlock housing, freight efficiency, resilience and major infrastructure delivery.

NSW Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison said, “For decades, councils have been stuck with a slow, ad-hoc system.

“From today, decisions will be driven by evidence and need, not politics or outdated processes.

“This new system is designed to help roads receive the appropriate investment and ongoing care, supporting better outcomes for our communities.

“Clear criteria and modern data tools mean these decisions are no longer left to chance or politics.

“Everyone can see the basis for a category change, and that brings greater transparency and confidence to the system.”

Chairman of the Country Mayors Association of NSW, Mayor Rick Firman OAM, said the move is a positive step forward for regional and rural councils who have been “managing enormous road networks with limited resources and increasingly severe weather impacts”.

“The new framework gives our councils a fair opportunity to have roads properly recognised for their current use, not what they looked like 20 years ago,” he said.

“Being able to apply at any time, backed by clear criteria and data, is a major improvement.

“It will help councils plan, budget and deliver work more efficiently for our communities.”

With the portal now live, local councils and road managers will be able to put forward proposals for recategorisation.

Reviews of the system and processes will be conducted at three months, six months and then annually to refine the model.